Explosions target Sri Lankan ships in the seas off Vadamaraadchi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 October 2008, 03:32 GMT]
Two big explosions were heard in the seas off Kaankeasanthu'rai Harbour in Jaffna around 4:00 a.m. Wednesday. Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers fired rockets from their coastal positions in Vadamaraadchi North, fishermen in the area said reporting heavy exchange of gunfire in the seas after the explosions. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan military officials in Colombo said one of their ships sustained damage in the attack and that they prevented the Sea Tiger boats from destroying the other ship. In the meantime, the SLA soldiers have instructed the fishermen not to access the seas off Vadamaraadchi Wednesday morning. The LTTE is yet to issue details of their attack.

Sri Lankan military officials in Colombo said one of their ships, Nimalawa, which they claimed as a merchant ship, sustained damage in the attack. They also claimed they had destroyed two explosive-laden attack crafts of the Sea Tigers.